Psalms 37:13
in Psalms 37but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The Lord will laugh at him; For he seeth that his day is coming.
KJV
The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
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This verse in Psalms 37
Commentary
14 notes on this verse(Vers. 12, 13.) It follows: The sinner will observe the just and will gnash his teeth over him. But the Lord will deride him; for He sees that his day is coming. It is customary for one who is angry and seething to gnash his teeth: but the heart of the wicked also has its teeth, which are not accustomed to merely making noise, but to tearing. The sinner's traps, schemes, and wickedness are his teeth.
This site's exposition
scheme against the righteous
on Psalms 37:12-15
The scheming comes with gnashing teeth, and the drawn sword and bent bow are aimed at the poor and needy. The Lord laughs over them, the same laughter He gives the conspiring kings at Psalm 2:4, and He sees their day coming. Their own swords turn back into their hearts.
This site's exposition
the Lord laughs
Albert Barnes took the laughter as God's judgment that the plots are empty and hold nothing to fear. Augustine identified their day with the day of wrath in Romans 2:5. The schemer cannot see that day; the Lord already does.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Then follow these words: "The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth" (ver. 12): "But the Lord shall laugh at him" (ver. 13). At whom? Surely at the sinner, "gnashing upon" the other "with his teeth." But wherefore shall the Lord "laugh at him"? "For He foreseeth that his day is coming." He seems indeed full of wrath, while, ignorant of the morrow that is in store for him, he is threatening the just. But the Lord beholds and "foresees his day." "What day?" That in which "He will render to every man according to his works." For he is "treasuring up unto himself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the just judgment of God." But it is the Lord that foresees it; thou dost not foresee it. It hath been revealed to thee by Him who foresees it. Thou didst not know of the "day of the unrighteous," in which he is to suffer punishment. But He who knows it hath revealed it to thee. It is a main part of knowledge to join thyself to Him who hath knowledge. He hath the eyes of knowledge: have thou the eyes of a believing mind. That which God "sees," be thou willing to believe. For the day of the unjust, which God foresees, will come. What day is that? The day for all vengeance! For it is necessary that vengeance should be taken upon the ungodly, that vengeance be taken upon the unjust, whether he turn, or whether he turn not. For if he shall turn from his ways, that very thing, that his "injustice is come to an end," is the infliction of vengeance....
The Medieval Church1 voice
Then when he says, "But the Lord," he shows that this malice of theirs does not have its intended effect, because they are mocked by God. And regarding this he does two things. First, he sets forth the mockery. Second, its reason, at "For he …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is true the wicked plotteth against the just; there is a rooted enmity in the seed of the wicked one against the righteous seed; their aim is, if they can, to destroy their righteousness, or, if that fail, then to destroy them.
, 18, 19, 22-25, 28, 29, 37 . He prescribes very good remedies against this sin of envying the prosperity of the wicked, and great encouragement to use those remedies,
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
The Lord shall laugh at him,....
6 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century6 voices
The Lord shall laugh at him. The godly man needs not trouble himself, but leave well deserved vengeance to be dealt out by the Lord, who will utterly deride the malice of the good man's enemies. Let the proud scorner gnash his teeth and foam at the mouth; he has one to deal with who will look down upon him and his ravings with serene contempt. For he seeth that his day is coming.
The Lord shall laugh at him. The godly man needs not trouble himself, but leave well deserved vengeance to be dealt out by the Lord, who will utterly deride the malice of the good man's enemies. Let the proud scorner gnash his teeth and foam at the mouth; he has one to deal with who will look down upon him and his ravings with serene contempt. For he seeth that his day is coming. The evil man does not see how close his destruction is upon his heels; he boasts of crushing others when the foot of justice is already uplifted to trample him as the mire of the streets. Sinners, in the hand of an angry God, and yet plotting against his children! Poor souls, thus to run upon the point of Jehovahs's spear.
The Lord shall laugh at him. The godly man needs not trouble himself, but leave well deserved vengeance to be dealt out by the Lord, who will utterly deride the malice of the good man's enemies. Let the proud scorner gnash his teeth and foam at the mouth; he has one to deal with who will look down upon him and his ravings with serene contempt. For he seeth that his day is coming.
Here is the portrait of a proud oppressor armed to the teeth.
He seeth that his day is coming - The utter desolation of your oppressors is at hand. All this may be said of every wicked man.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The Lord shall laugh at him - See the notes at Psa 2:4. That is, he will regard all his attempts as vain - as not worthy of serious thought or care. The language is that which we use when there is no fear or apprehension felt. It is not that God is unfeeling, or that he is disposed to deride man, but that he regards all such efforts as vain, and as not demanding notice on the ground of anything to be apprehended from them. For he seeth that his day is coming - The day of his destruction or overthrow. He sees that the wicked man cannot be ultimately successful, but that destruction is coming upon him. There is nothing ultimately to be apprehended from his designs, for his overthrow is certain.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
initiated war the wicked initiated quarrel and strife without previous provocation.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| אֲדֹנָ֥י | ʾadonai | [the] Lord | H136 → | 440 times |
| יִשְׂחַק־ | yischak- | he laughs | H7832 → | 36 times |
| ל֑וֹ | lo | to him | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| רָ֝אָ֗ה | raah | he sees | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָבֹ֥א | yavo' | it will come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| יוֹמֽוֹ׃ | yomo | day his | H3117 → | 2304 times |
אֲדֹנָ֥י[the] Lord
ʾadonaiH136 →440 times
יִשְׂחַק־he laughs
yischak-H7832 →36 times
ל֑וֹto him
lo
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
רָ֝אָ֗הhe sees
raahH7200 →1300 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
יָבֹ֥אit will come
yavo'H935 →2568 times
יוֹמֽוֹ׃day his
yomoH3117 →2304 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 2:4The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
it leads to
- Psalms 59:8
But You, O LORD, laugh at them; You scoff at all the nations.
- Proverbs 1:26
in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
- Isaiah 40:22
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth; its dwellers are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
- Psalms 11:4
The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD is on His heavenly throne. His eyes are watching closely; they examine the sons of men.
- Isaiah 57:15
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,…
- Psalms 59:8
Through
Proverbs 1:26in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you,
it leads to
- Psalms 2:4
The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord taunts them.
- Proverbs 10:24
What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted.
- Proverbs 6:15
Therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery.
- Psalms 2:4
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ambrose of Milan, Commentaries on the Twelve Davidic Psalms; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 37; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.